Ford GT Successor In The Works?

Production American supercars can be counted on one hand, and with the death of the Viper, all of them are Corvettes. But Ford may be getting back into the game with a new version of the Ford GT, according to the altest reports from the Detroit Auto Show.

In an interview with Derrick Kuzak, Ford's chief of global product development, Automobile Magazine posed the question and Kuzak responded in non-committal terms that hint a Ford GT replacement may be in the works. As Automobile points out, a denial of any such operation is the easy road, so not taking it at least gives a spark of hope.

The previous Ford GT, built in 2005-2006, was a design throwback to the original racing GT40 Ford and Carroll Shelby used to dethrone Ferrari at Le Mans in the late 1960s. Its powertrain, however, was very modern, with a dry-sump aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V-8. A modified version of that same engine now powers the 2011 Shelby Mustang GT500.

A future Ford GT could use the same powerpant, or it could go along the twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost route, should Ford wish to create a more efficient mid-engine supercar. McLaren's MP4-12C proves a small-displacement turbo engine is capable of the work, though the British manufacturer uses a 3.8-liter V-8 instead of a V-6.

The look of the GT could continue with inspiration from the GT40, updated to be even more modern and suitable to the aerodynamics of a true supercar. Of course, Ford could start with a clean sheet as well, but then it's just a Ford supercar, not a successor to the GT. Either way, we're keeping our eyes peeled.